Come Back To Me
by LoriKate
Summary: Burdened by guilt, Prim is convinced that her sister is going to die and it will be her fault. So she takes it upon herself to keep Katniss alive in any way possible. But, really, what can one 12-year-old girl do? Rated T to be safe.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

In my nightmare, I stand in the pen of 12-year-old girls. Effie Trinket crosses the stage to the girls' Reaping ball.

"Ladies first!" she says. Her hand plunges into the bowl and pulls out a slip of paper. "Primrose Everdeen!"

I stand frozen to the spot. This can't be happening.

"Primrose Everdeen!" Effie calls again. "Where are you, dear?"

The crowd parts and I feel myself walk forward. Up the stairs. Onto the stage.

"Hello, Primrose! District Twelve, say hello to your newest tribute!" The crowd cheers. I desperately scan the masses of people for my sister. But Katniss isn't there.

Effie calls a name I don't know, then my heart leaps with fright as a huge boy walks onto the stage. His muscles bulge under his shirt. His eyes are cold. His gaze settles on me and slowly and deliberately he walks forward, pulling a knife from his belt. _What is he doing? _He raises the blade. _Is he going to kill me? But he can't! That's against the rules!_ The blade starts coming down toward my head.

"Katniss! Katniss!" I scream. She'll save me! "Katniss! Katniss! Please! Save me! Katniss!" But she doesn't come. She's not here. "Katniss!"

"Mrow?" The scene vanishes and I am back in bed with my mother and Buttercup.

"Thank you," I whisper to my cat. "You saved me."

I sit up and cuddle him. The other bed is empty. Katniss is already gone, along with the cheese I left for her. She's hunting now, to bring us food for our feast tonight.

I try not to think about the Reaping later today as I get up. I carefully cut some bread and cheese for Mother and myself. I am just setting down the plates when she comes up to me.

"Good morning, Prim," she says, smiling softly.

"Good morning, Mother," I reply.

We eat our meal then Mother says, "It's almost eleven thirty. We need to get ready."

"We slept in that long?" I say, surprised. I didn't think to look at a clock when I got up.

"Yes."

She crosses the room to the rickety chest of drawers and pulls something out of it. She holds up a skirt and ruffled blouse and eyes it. Nodding, she lays it on the bed and pulls out two dresses, which she also lays on the bed. Then she turns to me.

"All right! Time to wash!" I can tell she's trying to be light hearted for my sake. I appreciate it. I'm so nervous, I feel like I'm going to explode.

Mother gets some water and puts it on the stove while I unbraid my hair. She tests it with her finger, then pours it into our tub. I undress and climb in.

"Mother?"

"Hmmm?"

"Do you think – will it – what if-"

"Oh, honey, you're not going to get chosen."

"What about Katniss, then?"

"Well…"

"She's got twenty slips in there!"

"It's not much of a chance, Sweetie."

"Still – what if-"

"Prim, there's always going to be a 'what if'. We are never certain." "But I'm sure –"

"But you just said you can't be sure!"

"This conversation is over. Talking about it won't do anything. You're just getting anxious."

"Okay."

Mother helps me wash, scrubbing me with soap and putting a small amount of precious shampoo in my hair. When I emerge, I'm squeaky clean.

I'm handed a towel, then led to the bed.

"This was Katniss's first Reaping outfit. I think it will fit you… If not, we can pin it."

I dress in the blouse and skirt, which are too big, so Mother ends up pinning. Even so, I can't keep it tucked in back.

Then Mother does my hair in two French braids and I pull on stockings and my fancy black shoes.

I sit down and pet Buttercup as Mother bathes. When she gets out, she says, "Why don't you go milk Lady so we can have milk for lunch?"

I agree and walk outside to where Lady is, Buttercup trailing behind me.

"Hello, Lady!" I say. "Do you have some milk for me? Huh?" She does. When I walk back in, I'm carrying a full bucket of milk.

"Oh! You look so pretty!" Mother is wearing a lilac dress that I guess came from when she worked in the apothecary.

"Thank you, Prim," she replies, then takes the milk and puts it in a cool place.

I watch as she comes to our mirror, sits, and braids her hair. I wish I could braid my own hair, like her. She has just finished when Katniss comes in.

She washes, then stares at the dress Mother has laid out for her.

"Are you sure?" she asks.

"Of course. Let's put your hair up, too," Mother replies. She dries Katniss' hair, then braids it in an elaborate hairstyle against her head.

"You look beautiful," I say in a hushed voice.

"And nothing like myself," she says, then hugs me. "Tuck your tail in, little duck."

I giggle and say, "Quack."

"Quack yourself," she says, laughing. "Come on, let's eat." She plants a kiss on my head.

We sit at the table, and I smell the stew Mother must have put on while I was milking. I serve the milk and some tessera bread. We don't eat much.

At one, we leave for the square. I'm so frightened I feel like I can barely function. Katniss gently guides me to the sign in station and then to the twelve-year-old girls pen at the back. Just like my nightmare. _But Katniss is here_, I tell myself. _She won't let anything happen to you._

More people press in on me from all sides and I begin to feel slightly claustrophobic. This does nothing to help my mounting panic.

The clock strikes two. The mayor steps forward and reads the history of Panem. I don't listen. I've heard it a million times and I'm too afraid to focus on anything. Then the mayor introduces Haymitch Abernathy, who tries to hug Effie Trinket.

The mayor quickly introduces Effie Trinket. She trots to the microphone and says, "Happy Hunger Games! And may the odds be _ever_ in your favor." She talks about what an honor it is to be here, then crosses to a glass bowl. "Ladies first!"

_Not me, not me, please not me._

Effie walks back to the microphone.

_Not me, not me, please not me._

She smoothes the paper.

_Not me, not me, please not me._

"Primrose Everdeen!"

**A/N: So the first few chapters are going to be mostly Prim's perspective on what is happening to Katniss, but soon it will be her doing her own thing, so please stay with me. And please R+R!**


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

No. No. No. This isn't possible. This isn't _possible_. My name was only in there one time. _One time. _My hands clench at my sides and the blood drains from my face as the crowd starts to murmur.

"Poor girl."

"Look at her, she's only twelve."

"So scared."

"Young."

"Oh, the poor, poor thing."

"Go on." This is from a girl to my right. She looks familiar. What's her name? Lina. From school. "Go on, Prim." Her eyes are a mixture of sympathy and relief as she gently pushes me forward. Stiffly, I begin to make my way up to the front. I make sure not to glance at Katniss. If I see her, I'll start sobbing and run to her, and I _must not do that_. I have to be in control. No crying. Can't cry. I try and ball up my emotions inside me where they can't get out. I imagine pushing them down, down, down, until they're so deep inside me I can't feel them anymore. So I'm calm. It almost works, too.

I am so focused on myself that I don't notice Katniss moving until she yells out, "Prim!" I keep moving forward. "Prim!" She pushes me behind her just as I lift my foot to climb the first step.

"I volunteer! I volunteer as tribute!"

And just like that, the ball of emotions releases it's captives and I am most definitely no longer calm. I let loose a scream. No! Katniss can't go! She can't die! I can't let her volunteer for me so she can die!

Up on the stage, people are talking, but their words are meaningless. I only know that's there's no way in heaven or hell that I'm letting Katniss go.

"No, Katniss! No! You can't go!" I scream. There is no room in my head for any other thought. If Katniss dies, who will hunt for Mother? Who will take care of me? Katniss is so much more important than I am. If one of us has to die...

"Prim, let go," she says harshly. "Let go!"

Suddenly, hands are wrapping around me and lifting me up. Gale! "Up you go, Catnip," he says. I struggle against him, hitting and kicking and clawing. Katniss begins to climb, and Gale heads toward the back of the crowd. I fight him the whole way.

"Prim, Prim," Mother says as we approach her. "Oh, Prim."

Gale sets me down and I run to her, wrapping my arms around her and burying my face in her neck.

"Prim, shh, it's okay. Everything will be okay."

"How?" I croak.

"You'll see. Everything will turn out just fine."

_"Everything will be fine, Prim," Father says. _

_"But...but I don't know anybody!"_

_"Neither does anyone else," he points out. "You'll make lots of friends. You'll have a great time at school, I promise."_

_"How do you know?"_

_"Listen, Prim. Everything good in this world, we make ourselves."_

_"What do you mean?"_

_"__You can't just sit around and hope. _If you want good things to happen, you have to _make__ them happen. So go out there and make good things happen, okay?"_

_"Okay."_

My father's wisdom, told to my five-year-old self, plays in my head.

Everything will be okay, just like Mother said. Because I will _make_ it okay.

**A/N: Whoof! That took several days and like five drafts to finish. Sorry I haven't updated in so long, everything's all ****crazy what with the end of school and all. Please, please, please review!**


End file.
